Arizona State is back in its usual routine, and the next test comes with a familiar conference wrinkle. The Sun Devils host Baylor on Saturday night in Tempe, lining up for a Big 12 matchup after a stretch that already sent them from Texas to London and back again.
ASU is 2-1 overall and 1-0 in conference play, coming off a bye after opening league action with a 24-17 win over Kansas on Sept. 19.
Before that, the Sun Devils dropped a game at Texas A&M on Sept. 12, then immediately turned around for the trip to London. Baylor arrives at 3-1 and 1-0 after beating Colorado 23-13 in Waco last Saturday.
Kenny Dillingham made it clear Monday that Baylor’s record doesn’t tell the whole story. In his view, the Bears are much closer to being undefeated and nationally ranked than their record suggests.
"If they reach the ball 4 more inches, this is a Top 25 team coming to town," Dillingham said, referring to Baylor's 17-16 loss to Auburn in the season opener on Sept. 5.
That opener hinged on a two-point try, when Baylor quarterback DJ Lagway’s pass to tight end Matthew Klopfenstein came up short of the end zone late in the game, handing Auburn the win.
Arizona State handled Baylor 27-24 last season in Waco, though Dillingham said the Bears “stoned us for most of the game.”
Baylor’s defense showed its teeth against Colorado, piling up five sacks, 13 tackles for loss, six pass breakups and a fumble recovery. First-year defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman has leaned into pressure and a deep rotation up front.
"When you have a rotation of D-linemen and defensive ends that you can roll through and you can go three deep and feel good about a guy making a play, that's different from what it's been," Baylor coach Dave Aranda said Monday.
Lagway, a transfer from Florida, went 19 of 39 for 221 yards with two touchdowns and an interception against Colorado.
On the other side, Arizona State quarterback Cutter Boley, also an SEC transfer from Kentucky, has found steady targets in Reed Harris and Omarion Miller. Those two receivers have combined for 39 of the Sun Devils’ 58 catches.
Aranda also knows what Baylor is walking into in its first true road game of the season.
"It's very tough to play (at Tempe)," Aranda said. "It's just loud, and at night it can be electric."
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Arizona State Faces A Real Test Against Baylors Biggest Strength
Baylor heads into its road game at Arizona State with the kind of matchup that can tilt early if the defense wins at the line of scrimmage. The Bears are coming off a win over Colorado, and this trip offers another chance to lean on what has been their biggest strength, especially against an ASU passing attack led by Cutter Boley, whose numbers have made him one of the more difficult quarterbacks to slow down this season.
On the other side, Baylor's offense also has its own questions to sort through, with Lagway still limited as a runner after injury. Last season's game against Arizona State is part of the backdrop here, but this one feels different because the pressure points are clearer: Baylor needs its defensive front to bother Boley and its offense to do enough without leaning on Lagway's legs the way it might prefer. [Read more 🡒]
Noelle Sather Is Already Changing Baylors Big 12 Outlook
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Her quick return gives Baylor an immediate lift as conference play takes center stage, and it also adds another name to a Big 12 weekly awards list that featured other honorees around the league. With Kansas up next on the schedule, Sathers form is giving the Bears a timely boost as they try to shape their place in the conference race. [Read more 🡒]
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Alvarezs numbers help explain why she landed there, with 35 saves and a .761 save percentage so far. The Hermann Trophy goes to the top collegiate soccer player in the country, so being on the midseason list puts her in a bigger conversation as Baylor pushes deeper into the year and tries to keep her name in it. [Read more 🡒]